Book Review: Other Areas: Before and After 9/11: A Philosophical Examination of Globalization, Terror and History

DOI10.1111/1478-9302.12016_22
AuthorDaniel E. Westlake
Date01 May 2013
Published date01 May 2013
Subject MatterBook Review
Sovereign Justice: Global Justice in a World of Nations by Diogo P. Aurelio, Gabriele De Angelis and Regina Queiroz (eds). Berlin: De Gruyter, 2011. 250pp., 99.95, ISBN 978311024573 B O O K R E V I E W S
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intuitive verdicts about how to act in and how (for
traditions, the editors include excerpts from works by
affluent people) to avoid a broken future, but utilitar-
major thinkers within each tradition. In each of these
ians might have to reconcile themselves to the impos-
traditions, there exists a tension between religion and
sibility of finding a version of utilitarianism that does
philosophy. In the Islamic and Jewish traditions this takes
not make extremely stringent demands.
the form of a tension between the law and philosophy,
The broad message of the book, however, is that
while in the Christian tradition it tends to adopt the form
affluent moral and political philosophers, whatever
of a tension between theology and philosophy.
their theoretical orientation – and people in affluent
For all save a limited number of specialists, medieval
societies more generally – do not do a good job of
political thought in practice has become a neglected
incorporating future people into their moral frame-
field. Few medieval thinkers other than St Augustine or
work, and that this is a significant failing, especially
St Thomas Aquinas are well known by political scien-
given the looming problem of global climate change
tists in general or are conventionally viewed as part of
and its attendant far-reaching and unpredictable effects.
what has come to be referred to as the ‘canon’. Many
Given the extensive and plausible argumentation in this
of the original texts are not widely available. In making
book, it is difficult, if not impossible, to resist this
the subject more accessible, Parens and Macfarland are
conclusion.
doing something to remedy this. Among the figures
Like an introductory philosophy class, the scope of
represented are such major thinkers as Alfarabi, Avi-
the book is quite...

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